A Hearth's Warming Carol
by RandomShippingFangirl
Summary: Discord doesn't believe in the magic of Hearth's Warming, until three spirits arrive in the night to teach him differently.
1. Chapter 1

**Old mlp story I wrote for Christmas. Enjoy!**

Discord hated Hearth's Warming. Hated everything about it. The happiness, the gift giving, and most of all, the friendship. It was Hearth's Warming Eve, and Discord muttered bitterly to himself as he sat at his desk. He owned a rock farm on the outskirts of Ponyville. It was a very prosperous farm, considering how prosperous farming rocks could actually be. He had a family working on his farm. In exchange for room and board and a small paycheck, he had all the workers he needed. A stallion, Igneous Rock, his wife, Rose Quartz, and their four daughters, Maud, Pinkie, Limestone and Marble Pie. Igneous sat in the side room next to his, writing papers. "Sir?" He said timidly. Discord slammed down a stack of bits which he had been counting. "What is it?" He growled. Igneous gulped. "Tomorrow is Hearth's Warming Day, sir. I was just wondering if maybe my family and I could take the day off?" "Hearth's Warming?" Discord sneered. "Bah, humbug! I suppose so, but I expect you all back to work at 5:00 sharp the next morning!" "Yes, Mr. Discord, thank you, Mr. Discord," he stammered, and went to get his coat and hat. "By the way, Happy Hearth's warming!" He said as he walked out.

"Bah, Humbug!" Discord shouted at the closed door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry these chapters are so short. They were originally written for Instagram.**

Discord went back to his house in Ponyville. The princesses allowed him to spread his chaos freely, as long as it stayed within the house. Discord went about his evening business, grumping about Hearth's Warming all the while. At last, he pulled his nightcap over his horns and headed up to bed. He was awoken in the middle of the night by a strange noise in his room. He sat up in bed and was dismayed to find a pale, ghostly figure standing at the foot of his bed. "Celestia?" He spluttered. It was indeed the princess, but her white fur and flowing mane have her a slightly frightening appearance in the moonlight. "Get out of here!" He said as he snapped his fingers to teleport her out. She didn't move. "Your magic does not work on me," she said. "I am the ghost of Hearth's Warming Past." Discord snorted. "Yeah, right. So is this some kind of a prank?" The spirit spread her great wings and Discord could see that she was slightly transparent. "I guess not," he said grudgingly. "So why are you here?" The spirit held out her hoof. "Come with me and I'll show you," she said. Discord rolled his eyes and grabbed her hoof with his lion paw.


	3. Chapter 3

**I like Dislestia but I saw no way to sneak it in.**

Discord found himself in a brightly lit room. The spirit stood beside him, gazing calmly at the scene before them. Amazingly, the ponies didn't notice that they were there. "Why are we here?" He asked the spirit, but she didn't answer. He looked around the room. It was a family of earth ponies, gathered around a small tree. There was a mother and father and two foals, and they were laughing gaily and singing carols. Discord allowed his gaze to stray farther and was dismayed to see a face outside the window. Gazing in at the family, eyes filled with despair, was a younger version of Discord himself. "Is that... me?" He asked the spirit. "Yes," she said.

"I remember this," Discord said softly. "I was thinking about how wonderful it would be if I had a family, if I was accepted. I was so lonely."

The spirit smiled where Discord could not see. "Yes," she said. "I am showing you one of your own Hearth's Warmings from long ago. This is why I am the spirit of Hearth's Warming Past." And with that, Discord found himself back in his own bed, as if nothing had happened. "It was a dream," he said aloud. It had to be a dream. And he drifted back to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Discord heard another strange sound and before he opened his eyes, he groaned and shouted, "Go away Celestia!" Then he felt a sharp tug on his ear. "Ouch!" He cried, and sat up. "Get up, lazybones," a voice said, and much to his horror, standing at the foot of his bed was Twilight Sparkle. "So, you're in on it too, huh?" He asked the purple alicorn. "I am the spirit of Hearth's Warming Present," she said indignantly. "I suppose you want to take me somewhere then," he said. Twilight sneered. "I don't want to, but they think it may help you." "Who's they?" Discord asked, just to tick her off. "Classified," Twilight said, grabbed his ear and he was off again.

**Twilight rules.**


	5. Chapter 5

Discord found himself in another brightly lit room, this time with Twilight standing next to him. He sighed, and started looking around. Much to his surprise, he was in the home of Igneous Rock's family. They had a very small bowl of handpicked oats and flowers on the table, and they acted like it was a feast fit for kings. Discord was dismayed and upset when he saw that Igneous and his wife were not eating anything, so as to leave more for their daughters. He smiled when he saw that Pinkie Pie noticed this, and pulled sweets out of her poofy mane and gave them to her parents. The smallest sister, Marble Pie, limped to her mother on her crutches. "Happy Hearth's Warming to you, every one!" She said happily. Discord smiled, and again found himself in his own bed. This time he was touched, and could not go back to sleep.

**Yes, I know Limestone and Marble's names are debatable, but that's what I'm going with.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Discord was aware of a new presence in the room before he even heard the noise. He sat up in bed, expecting another spirit, but unprepared for what he saw. It was a shadowy figure in a black hood and cape. Discord swore he felt the temperature in the room drop a few degrees. "What do you want?" He said, sounding more defiant than he felt. "I am the last one you shall see this night," it said in a regal voice. It threw back its hood to reveal Princess Luna. "I am the ghost of Hearth's Warming Future. Take my hoof, let us see what shall happen if you do not change your ways tonight," she said in an ominous voice. Discord gulped and took her hoof, and this time all was dark.**

**Spooooooky Luna**


	7. Chapter 7

It was a dark night. It was cold, and there was a light sheet of frozen rain coming down. Discord blinked and tried to adjust to the darkness. Luna was standing beside him, her hood up again. She looked eerie in the dark night. He looked around and realized that they were in the statue garden in Ponyville. A feeling of dread settled itself in the pit of his stomach as he saw what he had been afraid to see. Himself, back in his stone prison. He had a frightening look on his face, but the only thing the conscious Discord felt was fear. He approached the statue nervously and lightly touched the pedestal. He heard voices. He whirled around and saw two mares in front of the statue. He didn't recognize one, but that didn't matter because her companion was Fluttershy. She was the village caretaker of the animals. A ridiculous profession in Discord's opinion, but she was one of the only ponies who believed that Discord had good in him. He had pushed her away, as he had everypony else. Instead of her usual gentle smile she had a scowl on her face as she looked up at the future likeness of Discord. "So, he's in stone again, huh?" The other mare said. "Yes," Fluttershy replied. "And that doesn't bother you?" The other mare inquired. Fluttershy sneered. "Anypony who treats a family that way and scorns Hearth's Warming doesn't deserve to be free." The two turned to walk away. "No!" Discord cried out. "I'm here! I understand now!" He reached out to Fluttershy, but his claw passed right through her. "Luna!" He spun around to find the spirit gone. "No! I have to fix this!" He slumped to the ground and hid his face in his paw and claw. "Nooooooo..."

**I DON'T SHIP FLUTTERCORD. IT IS PURE FRIENDSHIP.**


	8. Chapter 8

Discord blinked. He was back in his room, sunlight streaming in through his windows. He jumped out of bed. "It's Hearth's Warming Day!" He cried. "I can still fix this!" He teleported himself to Igneous Rock's farmhouse. "Hello my little ponies!" He said happily. "Mr. Discord!" Igneous said nervously. "To what do we owe the... pleasure of this visit?" Discord looked around the room at Igneous and his family, as well as the rest of the mane six and their families, who were staring at him in fear. "Why, only to wish you a Happy Hearth's Warming, of course!" He snapped his claws and immediately the table was full of food, a true feast fit for kings. There was a large tree decorated with lights and ornaments, topped off with a gleaming star. There were presents for everypony under the tree, and special presents for Discord to give to Igneous and his family. Everyone began to smile and laugh, talk and eat. They thanked Discord and remarked on his change of spirit. Then Discord gave out his gifts.

To Igneous he gave a warm coat and new hat, as well as a pay raise for the whole family. To Rose Quartz he gave a beautiful silver necklace made out of her namesake gemstone. When he got to their oldest daughter, Maud, she stopped him. "How do we know this isn't some kind of a trick?" She said it so flat and monotonous that Discord couldn't understand what she'd said. "Say what?" He asked. She repeated her question with more volume, but still so flat and expressionless that Discord was beginning to get freaked out. "It's not, my dear," he said, trying to sound reassuring. He handed her her gift. It was a small rock. He knew she'd like it, for she was more interested in rocks than even her father, but he was even more freaked out when she started stroking it and said; "I'll name him Boulder." She walked away and Discord raised an eyebrow, but decided to leave it. Next up was their second oldest daughter Pinkie, who was one of Fluttershy's friends. Her gift was his personal favorite, a party cannon that shot all sorts of supplies. Her eyes widened. "Ohmygosh! A party cannon!" She squealed. "I've always wanted one of these!" Discord smiled, then jumped back when she fired it and went rocketing away. Next were the twins, Limestone and little Marble. To Limestone he gave a beautiful doll, and to Marble he gave a soft teddy bear. Much to his surprise, she wrapped her hooves around his long neck in a hug. "Thank you Mr. Discord," she said. She then looked around the room at her friends and family. "Happy Hearth's Warming," she said. 'Celestia bless us, everyone!"

THE END

**Ta-da! Review what you thought! (And merry Christmas/ happy holidays if you're reading this at that time)**


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